Internet Relay Chat

Revised 2006-12-28

1. Channels
1. #doowopcafe - music, vocal group harmony of the 1950s and 1960s (Quakenet)
2. #monitor - radio monitoring, all modes (ZIRC)
3. #swl - shortwave listening (Starchat)
2. Help
1. Chat Links: Links from Web to IRC
   Although written for connecting embedded Web page links to the mIRC application, the guidance is useful for whatever IRC client you opt to use.)
2. IRCHelp: FAQs, primers, guides et al
   Pros? Thousands of pages and files. Cons? Beware of the date on the page you are reading. 2004 is ancient history when Apple and Microsoft and Linux variants are upgrading, updating or patching software versions on your Internet-connected computer.
3. Links and References (on mIRC Web site)
3. Networks
1. QuakeNet
2. StarChat
3. ZIRC
4. Publications
1. IRC Hacks: 100 Industrial-Strength Tips and Tools, Paul Mutton, O'Reilly (2004, ISBN 0-596-00687-X)
5. Software
1. AkwaIRC (MacOS X—multi-server, multichannel)
   E-mail to the author sent Nov 2006 bounced. AkwaIRC is a nice and stable app to use but I have questions on the future of this app. No updates, no refreshes, since 2003.
2. Chatzilla (plug-in IRC for Mozilla & Firefox, but not Camino, browsers)
3. IceChat (Windows—multi-server, multichannel)
   On 12 Nov 2006 I met the IceChat author on line in the IceChat channel when he responded to my question on timestamp formats. I was looking for date, in addition to time. It wasn't working, and in less than 5 minutes he fixed the coding problem and uploaded a new executable to the Web site. The app works like a champ. If you are running Windows, this is THE app of choice.
1. IceChat Main Support Channel on QuakeNet
4. jmIrc (Java—single-server, single channel)
   Tiny (34kB) J2ME MIDlet that runs on virtually all JAVA-enabled cell phones and BlackBerries. This is a marvelous app for my BlackBerry 7250 device that lets me participate in the #swl channel. Have jmIrc, will travel! I toss my Eton E-100 pocket-sized portable and a reel (spooled) antenna into a small soft case once used for a cell phone mobile charger and cords, and off to Vermont I go.
5. mIRC (Windows—single-server, multichannel)
   One of the older apps out there, and it works well. There are a lot of mIRC users out there, so answers to questions are usually quick to come. But the serious limitation in the era of WinXP/sp2 is only one server at a time (unless you launch multiples instances—and it isn't necessary to consume system resources with IceChat being available).
6. XChat (UNIX/GTK+/X Windows)
1. X-Chat Aqua (MacOS X)
   Looking for an alternative to AkwaIRC, this Xchat variant is under active development. Preliminary testing Nov 2006 is good.
2. Faq
3. Forum
4. Timestamp
1. Forum Topic: Timestamp
2. Linux Programmer's Manual: STRFTIME(3)
   These formatting codes may work in other IRC programs -- give it a try.